Coronado Theatre

The Coronado Performing Arts Center, affectionately known as Rockford's Wonder Theatre, is a breathtaking atmospheric movie palace that opened on October 9, 1927, designed by architect Frederic J. Klein. Its opulent auditorium transports visitors to an enchanting outdoor setting with gilded Spanish and Italian-style architecture, twinkling stars scattered across a deep blue ceiling, and floating clouds—a hallmark of the atmospheric style. Home to one of only two remaining Grand Barton Theater Organs with a distinctive dragon design capable of producing a quarter million sounds, the venue underwent a transformative $18.5 million restoration from 1998–2001 that preserved its historic splendor while modernizing facilities. Voted the No. 1 Architectural Wonder of the United States in a 2010 AOL/U.S. Travel Association poll and designated a National Register of Historic Places site, attending a performance here is an immersion in gilded-age grandeur and artistic excellence.